Thuis will be my first winter for our new 22ftx11ft and 3 ft deep pond. We have lots of fish and the ecosystem has just done super this summer. I have been doing a lot of reading and contrary to what I thought I have read that you should not keep your pump running all winter. I live in zone5-6. What I have been reding is that it is better and cheaper to run an aerator during the winter. Is this what you all recommend?
>>>this is what I do; it helps alleviate any built up of toxic gasses from decaying organic matter in the pond.
If so what type and size do i get.
>>>I used an aquarium pump, something in the 100 gal recommendation, though it really depends on how much turbulence you want at the surface. That is, there have been a couple of times my hole froze over because I did not have enough supplied air to combat the cold. I live in zone 5. I don't worry about the pond freezing over unless it's been that way for a couple of weeks. In that case, I have--installed and waiting--a trough heater to melt a hole, situated over my airstone. These heaters will only operate between specified temp ranges so the heater, once the hole is open and the temp warms, will turn off and not stay continuously on. I only use it as an emergency. Most of the time, the air turbulence is enough.
Where in the pond do I place it?
>>>I've researched and found it's best to place it near the surface so as not to mix super chilled winter air into your pond. Though you need a fairly deep pond for proper stratification--and yours is not deep enough--the warmer water WILL still be at the bottom and the colder at the top. All you're trying to do with maintaining an open hole is allowing the gasses to escape. Though often repeated, adding oxygen this way doesn't help the fish much; it's more for the turbulence. So saying, you can also do this using a water pump aimed upward, but I feel the air pump is both less expensive to run as well as less expensive to purchase.
Also does anyone recommend putting salt in the water?
>>>I haven't done any salt to date, though won't negate the idea. I believe some benefit occurs re fish parasites/diseases but haven't done so for any overwintering agenda.
Will you have to do a complete water change in the spring?
>>>I haven't yet in 3 years. I add enough water through evaporation and rain during the summer that the water quality seems to be behaving itself nicely. I'm trying for as 'natural' as I can get. There's a large thriving pond at the end of my street and I've yet to see anyone siphon out the water and replace it each spring. And it's been over 30 years now.
Has anyone tried to keep tropicals alive in doors or is it best to throw them out.
>>>I've had some luck and some not. Sort of depends on the tropical and how much time/money/effort you want to invest. Parrots Feather seems to be easy under fluoro lites, the Taro has struggled but survived, the clover has been a bust (though I intend to try again) and I've barely kept my bacopa alive. The dwarf Egyptian Papyrus plant made it, but didn't thrive exactly. The sensitive plant got eaten by snails (I think) and such as Water Lettuce and Hyacinths are a headache to overwinter, plus cheap to replace next spring. That's my experience with overwintering some of my pond plants so far.
How about deep water oxygenators. Will they survive and should they be left in the pond over winter for removed?
>>>Those sections that are within the range at the top where ice forms will die off there but anything lower, usually survives. Best to trim these back to about a foot or so BENEATH the surface of your pond. Helps keep more organic matter from decaying. You should lower any lilies beneath this ice layer as well, trimming the pads, once again for eliminating excess organics from the decay cycle.
Thanks ahead of time as I know I have asked a lot of questions.